Owing in part to the popularity of the so-called "club" stores, there is perceived to be an Increase In consumer demand for products packaged in larger unit volumes. The demand for larger units has resulted in a need for suitable packaging for such units. Among the problems with which the packaging engineer must deal in devising suitable containers, is the increased weight which such containers must be capable of holding.
Increases in unit volume impact not only the immediate container for the product, but also secondary and tertiary packaging. For instance, cartons in which the larger/heavier containers are shipped must also be suitable and may have to be adapted to the new containers.
The Procter and Gamble Company uses a display carton for its 96 Load Tide.RTM. detergent product. The display carton includes four triangular corner posts and front and rear display windows wherein a portion of carton has been bent over and adhered to itself.
Ellison et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,891,137 discloses a fiberboard container constructed from an outer blank of corrugated fiber board and a separate and distinct inner liner of corrugated fiberboard which is laminated interior thereof. A generally rectangular access door is located in one of the sidewall panels and is hinged to the remainder of the outer blank along an edge. An object of the Ellison et al. invention is said to be to provide a reinforced bulk container with an access door which does not substantially weaken the container. The cuts forming the access door in Ellison et al. are positioned at least two inches from the corners so as not to diminish the stacking strength. The width of access door 48 in FIGS. 3 and 4 of Ellison et al. may vary up to amount equal to the width of sidewall panel 32.
Vesborg, U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,504 is directed to a transport and display container.
Spamer, U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,002 is directed to a case for displaying articles in retail outlets, which is preferably formed of corrugated plastic or paperboard material.
DeMott, U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,360 is directed to a stackable container having a display opening. Locking slots and locking tabs are illustrated.
Edgerton et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,299 is directed to a combined product shipping and display box.
Leftwich et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,872 is directed to shipping/display container which includes a tray portion having a bottom panel, two opposed end panels and two opposed side panels. A front side panel includes a line of weakness defining a severable portion in at least an intermediate portion downward to the lower-most edge of the front side panel. The severable portion includes a preformed aperture located adjacent to the lower-most edge of the front panel for initiating removal of the severable region. It is said that because the severable portion, at least in its center region, is preferably completely removed down to the bottom panel, products may be extracted from the resulting opening even though other containers or articles may be stacked both above and below the subject container limiting the ability to extract packages at an angle.
Carr et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,337 discloses a carton for a bag stack. The carton includes two unshaped upper edges defining access windows. The front and back walls are provided with a hinged or removable panel below the access window to allow the sizes of the front and back windows to be increased.